As Delicate as a Rose
by Raven in Red
Summary: Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. Soon after the two are married, James must go to sea in pursuit of the pirates that have been attacking Port Royal. NorringtonOC. R&R, story better than summary
1. The Unusual Ball

**As Delicate as a Rose**

By: Raven in Red

_Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. Soon after the two are married, James must go to sea in pursuit of the pirates that have been attacking Port Royal. NorringtonOC_

**Chapter One:** The Unusual Ball

The day I met him was like any other summer day in Port Royal, Jamaica. My lady's maid dressed me in a fine white gown with blue ribbon trim and lace, I got into my father's carriage along with my two older sisters, and we all went for a walk down on the docks. I felt safe with my family. With them, I could completely ignore all my fears. However, everything changed in less than five minutes.

We were just walking as we normally do when someone suddenly bumped into me. My straw hat was knocked clear off my head and into the water. "Oh, my goodness, I'm _terribly_ sorry!" said the man who had bumped into me. He bent down to grab my hat, but I grabbed his hand.

"Don't worry about it," I said simply. When he stood up, I gave a tiny gasp. He was handsome. He wore a perfectly ironed officer's uniform and a white powdered wig. I winced a little when I saw the beautiful but sharp sword at his belt.

"What is it?" he asked. I shook my head.

"You're handsome," I blurted out in a whisper. When I realized what I had just said, I began to laugh nervously. I could feel myself blushing. The man took my hand and gently kissed it.

"Why, thank you, miss. I am Commodore James Norrington," he gave me a perfectly handsome smile. I gave him a nervous curtsy. "I am Lorynn Benedict, sir," I managed to say without stuttering. He took my arm gently.

"Will you take a walk with me, Miss Benedict?" he asked politely.

"Oh, I don't know," I looked down, blushing again.

"Lorynn!" I heard my sister Annabelle shout my name. I turned around quickly.

"Yes, Annabelle!" I answered.

"We're heading home!" When she noticed James at my side, she smirked. "You can stay longer if you would like!"

"But-!" I started to protest, but she had already turned and gotten back into the carriage. I sighed and turned back to face James. "My sister can really be a pain sometimes." James laughed a bit before taking my arm again.

"_Now_ will you take a walk with me?" he smiled handsomely.

"I suppose," I managed to give him a smile.

With a small smiled, he began to walk. We walked slowly. I kept my head down most of the time. "Miss Benedict?" he said quietly.

"Yes, Mr. Norrington?" I answered equally as quietly.

"My neighbor is hosting a ball tonight, and he has allowed me to bring a guest. Would you like to accompany me?" he stopped and turned so that we faced each other. I blushed a tiny bit. I had never been to a ball before, especially not with a man. I didn't quite know how to reply. "Please say yes," he gently angled my head back up to meet his eyes. He gently took one of my hands.

"Alright, Mr. Norrington, I'll be there," I said with a shy smile.

"42 Willow Street at 8 o clock," he said with a delicate smile. "I'll be waiting." He gave my hand a tiny squeeze before stepping back. "I'm afraid I must go now, but I will be looking forward to tonight." He bowed politely and kissed the back of my hand. I was thoroughly impressed by his politeness. I gave him a small smile just before he departed. Seeing as how my father and sisters had already left in the carriage, I had to walk home. I didn't mind, though. It gave me plenty of time to think about James.

My heart was in a rush. I wasn't even one hundred percent sure what had just happened. I had met a handsome and polite man named James Norrington, and he had asked me to a ball! He was much more polite and dignified than all of the other men I had met. Most of them were too rough or frivolous. James was a pleasant change for me.

When I got home, I ran straight to Annabelle's room to spread the news. "Annabelle!" I greeted my sister happily. "I have wonderful news!" Annabelle sat me down on the edge of her bed. "Tell me _everything_," she ordered with a smirk on her face. I took a deep breath and said calmly, "Commodore James Norrington, the man you saw me talking to at the docks, has asked me to come to a _ball_ with him tonight!" Annabelle squealed in delight and hugged me. I was a little surprised, but I hugged her in return.

"Lorynn, that's _wonderful_!" Annabelle gasped happily. "Rachel and I would be _delighted_ to get you ready!"

Later that evening, Annabelle and Rachel got me dressed for the ball. They dressed me in a mint green gown trimmed with fancy white lace. The inner skirt was embroidered with a white lacy pattern. The outer skirt, which wrapped halfway around my waist, was a shinier version of the same mint green color. Rachel swept my dark brown hair into a classy updo while Annabelle dusted makeup onto my cheeks and attached pearl earrings to my lobes. When I was finally finished, Rachel shouted, "Father! She's ready!"

- - - - - - -

"Miss Benedict, it's a delight to see you!" James swept into a deep bow as I crossed the threshold of the house where the ball was taking place. He kissed my hand and led me into the main ballroom. I smiled at how well he was dressed. He wore a dark blue frock coat, black pants, and a pressed white shirt. His wig was dressed perfectly, with not a single hair out of place.

"Would you honor me with a dance, Miss Benedict?" He asked politely. I took both of his hands.

"Only if you would call me Lorynn instead of Miss Benedict," I answered. I could almost feel my shyness melting away. He smiled and placed one hand on my waist.

"I could do that…Lorynn," he said in a whisper as he led me into a slow and beautiful waltz.

James and I made small talk and danced six or seven waltzes before we were both tired. He then handed me one of the two glasses of champagne he had picked up from a passing waiter. "Thank you, James," I said gratefully.

"You're very welcome, Lorynn," he smiled as we both took small sips. I stepped closer and gently wound my arm around his. All of a sudden, I heard a booming sound in the distance. "What was that?" I asked suspiciously. "I don't know," James said with slight fear in his voice. He took my hand protectively. Before I knew it, I heard the sound of breaking glass. A cannonball crashed through the window on the far end of the ballroom. I screamed, along with many of the other women. I was so startled that I dropped my champagne glass. It crashed to the floor and splashed all over my skirt. James put his down and pulled me into his arms. With shaking hands, he rubbed my back.

All of a sudden, he shouted, "Get down!" Before I knew what was going on, he grabbed me by my waist and pulled me down to the floor. Another cannonball crashed through the wall right over us. I was too scared to cry. All I could do was hold onto James and pray that it would all end soon. Soon, James pulled me to my feet.

"Come on, Lorynn!" he pulled on my hand, but I was too scared to move. "Lorynn, _please_ come with me! I need to get you somewhere safe!" It took another cannonball to crash through the wall before I let James lead me away. We ran as fast as we could out of the ballroom and into the street. I didn't care that my shoes and dress were getting soaked with mud. I was surprised at how well I could run in high heels.

We didn't stop running until we had reached Fort Charles. James took a quick look over the wall at the harbor before pulling me down a flight of stairs. He brought me into a well decorated office. "Lorynn, I need you to stay here until the attack is over. I have to go out and direct the cannoneers." I grabbed his hand.

"No, I can't just let you leave like that!" I protested.

"Please, Lorynn, you must!" he pleaded with me. When I still held onto his hand, he knelt in front of me. "We've known each other for only a short while, Lorynn. Please, just let me do my job. I'll come back for you."

With tears in my eyes, I gave a slow nod. "Alright," I said shakily. He stood up and placed a hesitant kiss on my cheek. "I'll be back!" he said while squeezing my hand. With that, he was gone. I spent what felt like forever cowering in fear in the back of the office. With every cannon blast, scream, or shout I felt a stab of fear for James. I had only shared a few dances with him and I already felt protective of him. The tiny kiss he had given me had comforted me at least a little.

I just about screamed in happiness when James came back into the room. He knelt in front of me and gently held my hands. "Are you alright?" I asked fearfully.

"Not a scratch," he replied happily. "And I have something to ask you."

"Anything," I said eagerly. He pulled me to my feet.

"Let's find a better place to talk," he instructed. I nodded in agreement. I held onto his arm while he led me out of the office and up the stairs. We passed the cannoneers on the wall of the fort, who saluted the Commodore as he walked by. He led me quickly out of the fort and down to a secluded pier. In the distance, I could see a ship sailing off into the night. James gently touched my face. "I was thinking about you during the attack." His words made me smile. He smiled in return and continued, "I'd like to get to know you better, Lorynn." He lifted my hand and placed a gentle kiss on it. "May I have the honor of courting you?"

I instantly blushed. "I would be delighted," I said with a shy smile. "My father will talk it over with you tomorrow."

"Excellent!" James said in a delighted whisper.

"If it were up to me, I would court you right away. My father, however, worries too much about me. He will have to talk _everything _over with you first before he makes the final decision. I certainly hope everything works out in our favor," I sighed. He took my hand again.

"So do I, but it's getting late, Lorynn. Let me walk you home."

I willingly took hold of his arm. He led me in a leisurely paced walk. We were in hurry. Along the way, we talked.

"We've had an interesting first day knowing each other, haven't we, Lorynn?" James asked with a slight laugh. I laughed along with him.

"Yes, we certainly have!" I declared happily. "But everything is working out well." Then I said in a quieter voice, "Thank you for saving me, James." He tightened his hold on me.

"I couldn't let you get hurt," he whispered delicately. He was getting a little emotional. "I'm glad I asked you to the ball, even if it didn't turn out the way I had planned."

"Thank you," I said plainly, with a smile. James sighed. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Tomorrow I'll have to investigate the pirates that attacked Port Royal," he said sadly. "I may even have to go out to sea in pursuit."

"Then I'll go with you," I declared.

"Lorynn…" he began. "It would be dangerous. You could very easily get hurt."

"As easily as you could," I said, slightly annoyed.

"But I can fight with a sword and a pistol," he pointed out.

"You could teach me," I said, glad that I had thought of that.

"You don't take no for an answer, do you?" James said with a slight laugh.

"Please, James, please," I begged. "I want to spend more time with you."

James sighed and laughed. "I guess I can't say no to someone like you. Alright, you can come with me."

"Thank you!" I nearly hugged him, but stopped myself just in time.

"_But_…" James held up a finger. "_Only_ if your parents agree." I lowered my head a little.

"My father probably won't agree to something like that. He's too scared for my safety. He has trouble even letting me out of the house alone. I know I can be shy, and often scared, but I think he's just a little to overprotective." I complained.

"He's your father, Lorynn. He cares about you. He loves you," James added. We walked in silence until we reached my house.

"Thank you, James," I said politely. He kissed my hand, equally as politely. Sighing, I pulled him to me and kissed his cheek. "You will have to come by tomorrow to talk to my father. I would truly love to enter courtship with you." He smiled.

"I'm glad you feel that way. Good night, Lorynn," with one more kiss on my hand, he departed into the night.


	2. Courtship and a Proposal

**As Delicate as a Rose**

By: Raven in Red

_Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. Soon after the two are married, James must go to sea in pursuit of the pirates that have been attacking Port Royal. NorringtonOC_

**Chapter Two:** Courtship and a Proposal

The next morning, I was having my afternoon tea in the parlor with my father and sisters when there was a knock at the door. I smiled to myself as I finished my tea and set the cup back onto the tea table. The butler came into the room. "Mr. and Miss Benedict, you have a visitor," he said with a slight bow. I squealed with delight as I jumped out of my seat and followed my father into the atrium.

"It's James!" I whispered to my sisters just before I left the room.

"Good afternoon, sir," James bowed a little. "I am Commodore James Norrington of the Royal Navy." When Father wasn't looking, he winked at me.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Commodore," Father bowed and I curtsied. "And may I inquire about your purpose here?"

"I would like to ask you something concerning your daughter, Mr. Benedict," James said politely. I was having a hard time hiding my excitement.

Father smiled, first at me, and then at James. "Come into my office, Commodore Norrington." Just before James left, he gave my hand a quick squeeze.

- - - - - - -

Nearly fifteen minutes later, James and Father came back into the atrium. "Well, it's settled!" Father said happily. "I think you two will make a _lovely_ couple!" Then he turned to James. "I would suggest you take her out today. She needs time out of the house." With that, he left the room.

"Yes!" I whispered with excitement. James smiled as well.

"Where shall we go today?" James looped my arm around his.

"I'd love to take a walk on the beach," I replied eagerly.

"That sounds _lovely_," James agreed. We walked out the door. We walked a long time before we reached a secluded, sunlit beach. "I used to play here when I was a boy," said James. "It was one of my favorite places to be." I sighed happily.

"It's beautiful," I said happily. He gently placed his arm around my shoulders.

"I've always wanted to share it with someone special," he said.I gazed into his eyes.

"Do you have any plans for our courtship, James?" I asked with curiosity.

"Now that you think about it, that's one thing I wanted to discuss with you today." We sat on a large, flat rock. "I want to get to know you, and I want us to feel comfortable together. Maybe, once we've grown to enjoy each other's company, we might share a kiss. We may even get married eventually." At his last thought, I tightened up a little. I couldn't imagine getting married yet. Well, maybe if I really grew to love James. I already liked him. He was handsome, kind, and polite. He was just the right man for me.

"It sounds perfect to me," I answered. He smiled.

"That's wonderful," he said happily. I placed a tiny kiss on his cheek.

"I wish I could spend the whole day with you!" I declared with a wide smile.

He laughed a little, "So do I," he said. I sighed happily and looked out at the waves.

"This really is a beautiful place," I said.

"I'm glad you like it," he replied. I leaned into him as he wrapped his arm around me.

- - - - - - -

Not wanting to rush into things, I held back on my actions for another couple weeks. Every day, James and I did something together. We had tea at each other's houses a few times, we went to another dance together, and we took several long walks around town. One day, when we were walking along the beach again, I stopped and pulled James into a hug. He eagerly hugged me back as I asked, "Have you had any luck with the pirate attack?"

"None as of yet," he answered, holding me at arm's length. "They've vanished without a trace. I've sent search ships out to find them, but they haven't reported in yet." I sighed and walked off to the side.

"I was terrified that night, James."

"I know, Lorynn," he touched my hand lightly. "Although we had just met, I knew I had to protect you."

"You saved my life," I stated plainly. "And I cannot thank you enough for that." The two of us walked, holding hands, back to the main road that we had come by. When we got back to my house, I stopped him in front of the gate. "Don't go," I said sadly. The sun was beginning to set. I wanted to share a moment like that with the man I most certainly loved.

"I'm sorry, Lorynn, but I have to. I have to get home, and then I have to go to work tomorrow," he said sadly. He took both of my hands and held them to his heart. "I wish I didn't have to go." For some reason, I felt as if I might cry. Obviously sensing this, he pulled me into a warm, gentle hug. He kissed the top of my head before holding my hands again.

"James," I began.

"Shh," he cut me off. Ever so slowly and gently, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine in a sweet, tender kiss. I kissed him back eagerly as I touched his face. Unfortunately, he had to pull back.

"Lorynn, I really _must_ be going now," he said sadly.

"Alright," I pouted. He leaned in for another sweet kiss.

"Good night, my dear," he said with a smile.

"Good night, James," I replied. With that, he turned and walked away down the road. My heart skipped a few beats before I finally snapped back into reality. James and I had kissed. We had finally kissed. I thought about it all night until I fell asleep.

- - - - - - -

When I joined my family for breakfast the next morning, the first thing out of Annabelle's mouth was, "Tell me all about James!" Rachel nodded in agreement. Both girls looked extremely excited.

"Alright," I sighed with a big smile. "James is a perfectly wonderful man!" I paused to take a sip of apple juice. "He's kind, polite, and so _very_ handsome! He takes me so many places! He's the best man I've ever met!" When I finished, I could feel my cheeks getting a little pink.

Rachel sighed dreamily. "And I thought my baby sister would never set eyes on another man again!" The three of us burst into laughter. My father came into the room carrying a plate of eggs and bacon, which he set down on the table.

"What's all the commotion, ladies?" he asked with a wink.

"Oh, nothing," Rachel smirked. "Only that Lorynn has found herself a perfectly _wonderful_ man!"

"When is the wedding?" Annabelle asked jokingly.

"Annabelle!" I scolded. "We haven't quite discussed that yet."

"Aww," Rachel pouted. "I was hoping for a new brother-in-law."

"You'll have one soon enough," I assured her. I wanted to stand at the altar with James and say "I do." But that was going to have to wait.

"It shouldn't be much longer," Father winked. "I can already tell those two are getting quite close."

"Oh, Father," I looked down and blushed.

"He takes you out _every_ day, Lorynn!" he declared with a smirk. "He is _definitely_ falling in love with you. And, from the way you talk about him…" he took a dramatic pause. "I think you are falling in love with him as well." I took another sip of juice while avoiding making eye contact with him. Then he concluded, "You'll be seeing him again today. I hope you'll think about what we've said." I nodded.

- - - - - - -

I let another week or so pass by without thinking about what my family had said. The two of us got closer and closer together. We kissed several more times, and we spent even more time together. I was truly growing to love James Norrington. He was, indeed, my perfect man.

One afternoon, when James and I took a walk down to the beach, he said, "Things have certainly been going well for us, haven't they?" I smiled in agreement. He continued, "We do make a lovely pair, if I do say so myself."

"Yes, we certainly do," I replied. "I couldn't agree more." I gasped softly when James knelt on one knee and took my hand.

"In these past couple weeks I've known and courted you, Lorynn, I've grown to love and respect you. You are indeed a unique and special woman, and I would be honored to share the rest of my life with you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a 2-carat diamond ring with a narrow gold band. "Lorynn Benedict, will you marry me?"

My breath caught in my throat. "Oh, James!" I exclaimed happily. I could see the smile on his face getting bigger and bigger. He reached up and caressed my face. "Yes!" I gasped happily. He slipped the ring onto my finger and stood up. He swept me up into his arms and spun me around. Then he leaned in for a long, deep kiss. I didn't want to leave his arms, ever. My life was finally going to be perfect. I was going to marry my perfect man, and the two of us were going to have a wonderful life together.

"I love you, Lorynn."

"I love you, too, James."

- - - - - - -


	3. Dinner with the Benedicts

**As Delicate as a Rose**

By: Raven in Red

_Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. Soon after the two are married, James must go to sea in pursuit of the pirates that have been attacking Port Royal. NorringtonOC_

**Chapter Three**: Dinner with the Benedicts

Our wedding was scheduled for the following spring, which was in about five months. I wanted it to be sooner, but every time I said that, my sisters would give me a lecture on not rushing things. When I was sure of something, and I mean absolutely sure, I tended to rush. A few times, I had even gotten in trouble for it, so I decided to lay off.

James spent a lot of time at my house. One night, he came over for dinner. Annabelle, Rachel, and I spent most of the day cooking up a whole feast of our favorite foods. Father went out and bought two bottles of the best wine he could find. I went to the candle shop and picked some lovely beeswax candles to put in our polished silver candle holders. After the table had been set and all of the food was in place, we heard a knock at the door. I tried to calm my excitement as the butler came into the room.

"Sir, the Commodore has arrived," he said in a polite manner. I wiped off my wet hands with a towel as Annabelle and Rachel adjusted my dress and jewelry for me.

"You look lovely!" said Rachel.

"Thanks, sweetie," I answered before I went into the atrium. James stood near the door, talking with my father. When he saw me, he bowed slightly and kissed my hand.

"It's a pleasure to be here tonight, Lorynn," he said politely.

"And it's a pleasure to have you here, James," I said in return. With a smile, I continued, "Come into the dining room. We've been so eager for your arrival tonight." When we got to the table, James was seated across from me. Annabelle and Rachel were on either side of Father, who sat at the head of the table. A servant poured us each a glass of wine. Father raised his glass.

"I propose a toast…to this _lovely_ engagement," he said with a smile. We all raised our glasses towards the center. Once we had all taken a sip, Father began passing the dishes around. Since all the food – chicken Alfredo, roasted vegetables, Parmesan breaded fish, and boiled potatoes – looked so good, I took a little of everything. I smiled as my engagement ring caught the light from one of the candles and sparkled.

"So, Commodore Norrington, have you any plans for the wedding?" Rachel asked politely. She took a small bite of the fish and smiled from the good taste.

James took another sip of wine before answering. "I would love to marry Lorynn in Port Royal's Church of Saint Anne. My parents were married there, and it is truly a lovely place."

"Anything works for me," I said. "I'm sure it will be the perfect place." I felt completely comfortable with James there. He smiled at me from across the table.

"I'm glad you feel that way, Lorynn," said James.

"We'll find the _perfect_ wedding gown for our sister," said Annabelle.

"Yes, the absolute best one," Rachel added.

"I'm sure she will look lovely," James agreed, winking at me. I blushed a little bit and smiled in return. Sometimes he could make me so speechless, but I guess that was one of the things that made me love him so much. I was so glad to be marrying him.

Once everyone was done eating, I rang a little silver bell to signal the servants that they could come clear the table. We all went into the sitting room for tea. "So," Father began, "Have you any plans for after the wedding?" he asked James.

"I'd love to take a vacation to London with Lorynn. I'm sure she would love it," James answered as he stirred cream and sugar into his tea. I took a small sip of mine.

"That sounds wonderful!" I said with a smile. "I've always wanted to see London! I've heard so many good things about it."

"I've heard that there are about a million dress shops!" Rachel said dreamily.

"And all of the best beaches!" Annabelle added. "Oh, you're _so_ lucky, Lorynn!"

"I will bring back gifts for everyone," I declared happily. "I believe, Annabelle, that your favorite color is red, and Rachel, yours is pink." When they both nodded, I continued, "I'll bring back the most lovely dresses I can find in those colors!" Both girls squealed with delight.

"Thank you, Lory!" They both giggled. Then Rachel yawned.

"I think it's time I went to bed," she said with another yawn.

"Me, too," said Annabelle. "Good night, Commodore."

"Good night, ladies," he said politely. Both of my sisters left the room and went upstairs. Father stood up as well.

"I must also retire for the night. I think I'll leave you two alone for a little while," he said. "Good night."

"Good night," James and I answered together. Once Father had gone upstairs, I took James' hand. "Come on," I said. "I want to show you something." He stood up and held my hand as I led him outside. It was slightly chilly, so he put his arm around me. I led him into my small private garden. We both took a seat on the smooth stone bench.

"Tonight was quite lovely," said James. "I have truly enjoyed your family's company."

"I'm glad," I said in return. "They are so excited for the wedding."

"As am I, my dear," he placed a small kiss on my forehead. I smiled and laid my head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me as I listened to his smooth, steady heartbeat. "You're going to be a splendid wife."

"And you're going to be a splendid husband," I added. I sat up and looked into his eyes. "You have _no_ idea how happy my sisters are. They've been waiting for me to find the right man for several years now." I blushed at the fact that I was twenty-four years old and unmarried. My sisters were in their late twenties. Both of them had been engaged, but their fiancés had left them soon before their weddings. They were both waiting for the right man to come along. When I was sixteen, I had thought I liked one man in particular, but he turned out to be quite rude, and not the suitable man to be my husband.

"I love spending time with you, Lorynn," James said softly. "Just seeing you makes me happy."

"I love spending time with you as well. You have no idea how perfect you are for me," I smiled as he leaned in and kissed me. Just when I thought he would pull away, he kept kissing me. His kisses were always soft and gentle. They made me feel truly comfortable with him.

"I would do so much more with you, but I would like to save it for our wedding night," he said right before he kissed my forehead.

"I can't wait."

- - - - - - -


	4. The Wedding

**As Delicate as a Rose**

By: Raven in Red

_Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. When she gets captured by pirates, she must do all she can to be with the one she loves. NorringtonOC_

**Chapter Four**: The Wedding

One the eve of the wedding, my sisters helped me get my dress ready. It was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen before. The skirt was long, and it reached my ankles. It had three layers. The innermost layer was a petticoat that made the skirt poof out a little. The middle layer was made of shiny white silk. The outer layer was made from a fine and soft white mesh. The bodice was snug, and it hugged my chest and stomach perfectly. Pearl buttons adorned the midline. The neckline was a curved v-neck. It was deep enough to show a bit of cleavage, and wide enough so that it exposed my clavicles. The sleeves were puffed out a little at the shoulders. Below that, they hugged my arms tightly and went down to my elbows.

"You look like a princess!" Rachel exclaimed in awe. She had taken a pause in hemming the skirts. Annabelle was rummaging around the jewelry box that the three of us shared. She pulled out a small red velvet box and handed it to me.

"It's a gift from the two of us," she explained as I opened it. A pair of large freshwater pearl earrings lay nestled in the velvet cushion.

"Thank you!" I exclaimed. "Thank you both!"

Annabelle smiled and fastened the earrings into my earlobes. "Our baby sister is getting married today. We have to make you as lovely as possible!"

Once Rachel was done with the hemming, she brought out her makeup box. Slowly and carefully, she applied lipstick, powder, and blush to my freshly washed face. Once she was done with that, Annabelle took the responsibility of fixing my hair. After several minutes of consideration, she and Rachel agreed on a hairstyle. They each took half of my hair and French braided it. Annabelle then pinned the two braids against each other so that they formed what looked like a crown all around my head. For the final touches, they clipped a platinum locket around my neck, placed the thin veil over my head and face, and handed me my bouquet.

"Father, she's ready!" Rachel shouted.

"Alright, let's see our pride and joy!" Father answered. I walked carefully out of the room in my white heeled shoes. As I reached the stairs, I began to descend slowly. Father gasped in awe. "Lorynn, you look _beautiful_," he said with pride.

"Thank you, Father," I replied happily as I reached the atrium. "And thank you, Rachel and Annabelle. You two are both my angels."

"Oh, it was nothing," said Rachel.

"We had to make you look lovely for dear James," added Annabelle.

"Are you ready, sweetheart?" Father asked as he held out his arm.

"I'm ready, Father," I answered, taking his arm.

- - - - - - -

When we reached the church, I was almost too nervous to step out of the carriage. When Father opened the door, I could barely move. "Come on, Lorynn. Everything will be fine," Father said as he took my arm. I stepped out carefully so I wouldn't get my dress dirty. He led me up the cobblestone path to the church door. He then led me into the church lobby, where the rest of the wedding party was waiting.

"Good luck!" Rachel said as she, Annabelle, and Father were led into the church by the ushers.

My friend Ashlyn was the maid of honor, and her little sister Jenna was the flower girl. They both greeted me with hugs.

"We're so glad you're getting married, Lorynn!" said Ashlyn. "The Commodore is such a charming man!" I smiled weakly.

"I'm so nervous," I said. My legs were even shaking a bit.

"Don't worry, Lory," said Jenna. It was sweet, coming from a five-year-old. "We all love you."

"Thank you, sweetie," I kissed Jenna on the forehead. She was such a little angel. My nervousness seemed to melt away with her small gesture. Finally, the minister peeked his head into the lobby.

"We're ready to start," he said. I heard the organ and the string quartet begin to play. Ashlyn walked in first, slowly, then, ten steps later, Jenna followed. Ten steps after Jenna, I began walking. As soon as I crossed the threshold into the Church, the Wedding March began to play. I felt slightly protected behind my veil, as if it were a shield to keep me from getting nervous. In just a few more steps, over the pink rose petals scattered over my path by Jenna, I reached my fiancé. James looked so handsome in his freshly ironed suit. He wore a black tricorn hat trimmed with tiny gold tassels, and his wig was powdered to perfection. We joined hands and faced the minister.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join together this man and this woman in the holy bonds of matrimony." I smiled at the minister's words. He continued, "Who here agrees to give this woman to this man?" My father stood up.

"I hereby give my daughter to the man she loves," Father said proudly before he sat back down. I gave him a little smile.

The minister began reciting from the Bible. I could hardly pay attention as I squeezed James' hand and he squeezed back. Soon, James and I turned to face each other as the ring bearer approached us. He held up the tiny red pillow that held the two rings. I picked up James' and he picked up mine.

"Do you, Commodore James Norrington, take Lorynn Benedict to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, through good times and bad, till death do you part?" the minister faced James.

"I do," James said with a smile as he slipped the ring onto my left ring finger.

The minister faced me. "Do you, Lorynn Benedict, take Commodore James Norrington to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, through good times and bad, till death do you part?"

"I do!" I declared with a smile as I slipped James' ring onto his left ring finger.

"Then, by the power vested in me by King George I of England, I now pronounce you husband and wife! Commodore, you may now kiss the bride!"

James wasted no time in taking my face in his hands and giving me a sweet, tender kiss. The congregation began to clap and cheer. Jenna skipped happily up to us and showered us with the rose petals she had left in her little basket. I bent down and hugged her. James and I walked back down the aisle together, arm in arm. It was truly the happiest day of my life.

- - - - - - -

The after party for the wedding was held at my house. The dining table was covered with all sorts of food and drinks. James and I shared a glass of red wine as people came up and congratulated us. Once everyone had left the dining room, James grabbed me and gave me a long, hard kiss. When he broke away, he held my hands and pulled me close. "Today was the most perfect day of my life!" he declared as he kissed my nose.

"Mine as well," I added as he kissed me again. When we broke apart, we linked arms and joined everyone else in the sitting room. We took a seat on the couch next to my sisters. Annabelle immediately rushed over and hugged me.

"We're so _proud_ of you, Lorynn!" she squealed. "Our baby sister is finally happily married! It's like a dream come true."

"Aww, thanks, sweetie," I replied. Annabelle ran off to sit next to Rachel, who looked equally as happy.

"So, sweetheart, when are my setting off on our honeymoon?" I asked my new husband.

"By the end of this week," James answered. "I've already chosen a ship to sail us to London. We'll have a wonderful time, darling."

After everyone had left the party and gone home, James and I got into our carriage and set off for our new home. According to James, it was a lovely mansion with three stories and a huge garden. His parents had selected a large group of servants, including a cook and several gardeners. The garden even had a large fountain. It sounded like the best place in the world. When we got there, James pulled me out of the carriage and into his arms. He then carried me up the long brick path and through the front door. When he set me down in the atrium, I gasped in awe.

The atrium had a high ceiling that was painted with an ocean landscape. A huge chandelier adorned with diamonds gave light to the room. I twirled around with my arms outstretched.

"It's beautiful!" I said happily. James walked up and took my hand.

"Let me show you our new bedroom," he said with a kiss on my cheek. I smiled and followed him up two long flights of stairs to the third floor. The first floor held the kitchen, parlor, dining room, piano room, and library. The second floor held the servants' bedrooms. The third floor held James' and my large bedroom, a washroom, and a private sitting room, along with a balcony that wrapped around the entire house. When we entered our bedroom, I was awestruck.

One entire wall was made of beautiful windows. The curtains were made of the finest silk. The room included many pieces of furniture: a large four-post bed with red velvet curtains, two fancy desks, two clothes presses, several Persian rugs upon the white marble floor, and four finely upholstered couches. "This is the most beautiful house I have _ever _seen!" I said happily. I began twirling around in circles. James grabbed me around my waist just before I crashed into the windows. We both burst into laughter.

"Darling, I think you've had a truly exciting day," James said when he finished laughing. "We should get to bed." I nodded in agreement. Then I went to my clothes press and picked out a nightgown, which James helped me change into. As he slipped it over my head, he leaned down and kissed my bare shoulder. "I love you so much," he whispered delicately.

"I love you, too, sweetheart." When I was finished getting my nightgown on, he changed into his nightclothes and got into bed. I followed soon after. Just before we went to sleep, I pulled him into a gentle hug. "Good night, my love," I whispered. He kissed me in return.

"Good night, Lory."

- - - - - - -


	5. The Voyage

**As Delicate as a Rose**

_Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. Soon after the two are married, James must go to sea in pursuit of the pirates that have been attacking Port Royal. NorringtonOC_

**Author's Note**: I highly doubt that they had ships like the _Mermaid Song_ back in that time period, but I added it just because I didn't want James and Lorynn traveling on any normal ship. Also, I've been n a cruise before, and I wanted the newlyweds to have a nice voyage like this after their wedding. Enjoy!

**Chapter Five**: The Voyage

James and I didn't have a great deal of time before we had to leave for our honeymoon. We spent a few days packing and preparing before we ventured down to the docks to board our ship, the _Mermaid Song_. It was meant to be a passenger ship. Every cabin was finely furnished. James and I were accompanied by nearly one hundred other passengers who were voyaging to England as well. Before we actually got to England, the ship was stopping in Spain, and James and I were going to spend a day there.

When James and I went below deck to find our cabin, we noticed that each door had a slip of paper nailed to it, with the names of the room's passengers written on it. I smiled when I saw ours: _Reserved for Commodore James Norrington and Lorynn Benedict._ Sighing, I pulled a quill out of my purse and crossed off Benedict, proudly writing Norrington in its place. James smiled and patted me on the shoulder. Then he opened the door and led us inside. It was a lot smaller than our bedroom, but it had a comfortably large bed, a washstand, and a clothes press. The flooring was dark maple, and it was highly glossed.

"It's perfectly lovely," I said happily. I set my purse on the bedside table. The rest of our luggage would be brought down later by one of the many crewmembers of the ship. I sat down gratefully in one of the cushioned wicker chairs near the bed. "This is going to be quite the comfortable voyage, James."

"It sure will, my dear," James sat in the chair next to mine.

With a yawn, I said, "Wow, it's only three o clock and I'm already tired."

"Are you going to be up for the opening night ball?" James asked with concern.

"Of course, sweetheart. You know how much I love dancing, especially with you," I smiled towards my husband.

"Which gown will you be wearing?" James asked with curiosity.

"I was thinking of wearing that beautiful cranberry red gown with the antique white lace," I answered as I undid the pins in my hair and gathered the dark brown locks into a simple bun.

"Ah, yes, that one is quite lovely," said James. "Good choice, my dear."

"Thank you," I reached out and squeezed his hand.

- - - - - - -

The ball was scheduled for nine o clock that night. At six every night, the passengers would all gather for dinner in the main dining room. It was quite large, and it took up half of the second out of the seven decks that made up the ship. The first deck was the main outdoor deck. The second deck held the main dining room and ballroom. The third and fourth decks were passenger decks, and the third had a balcony that wrapped around the ship. James and I were staying on the third. The fifth deck held the kitchen, library, and tea room. The sixth was for cargo, and the seventh held the crew's quarters. The captain's cabin was on the main deck.

When James and I got to dinner that night, we found a small table, which we were welcomed to by another couple. The meals were served from a large table of different foods, so James and I each carried a large plate.

"Good evening," the woman said. "We are Patrick and Emily Remmington."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Remmington," I said in return.

"I am Commodore James Norrington and this is my wife Lorynn," James added. We shook hands with the Remmingtons.

"Oh, how lovely!" said Mrs. Remmington. "Have you ever traveled on this ship before?"

"Not yet, ma'am, but we will on our way back to Port Royal," I answered.

"We're newly married," James said with a smile.

"Congratulations!" said Mr. Remmington. "Emily and I are celebrating our fifth anniversary in England." Both of them looked somewhat young, probably in their mid thirties.

"Congratulations to you as well," I said as I took a sip of my wine. "We're honeymooning in London for a week."

"London is a beautiful place," said Mrs. Remmington. "There's plenty of shopping, and lots of public balls. You two will surely have a grand time."

"Mrs. Remmington and I were married in London before we came to Port Royal. Now we're taking a visit back there to see our families. We're staying for a month, so we'll be returning to Port Royal on a different ship," said Mr. Remmington. "We originally journeyed to Port Royal aboard the _Mermaid Song_. It really is an exquisite vessel."

As the four of us ate, we listened to the lovely music being played by the orchestra. Everyone around us was happily talking. Mr. Remmington took the few minutes between songs to say, "The first night's feast is always the grandest, as well as the dance. The dance is held in the ballroom on this deck. There's always lots of music and dancing."

"It's a truly grand occasion," Mrs. Remmington smiled.

"It sure sounds like it," I said happily. James squeezed my hand.

"Perfect for us newlyweds, if I do say so myself," said James with a smile.

- - - - - - -

After dinner, James and I returned to our cabin to dress for the ball. I wore the cranberry red gown that I had described to James along with the pearl earrings that I had worn to the wedding. James wore a dark navy blue suit jacket, black knee length breeches, white stockings, a white ruffle-necked shirt, and black buckled shoes. He looked as handsome as he had looked on our wedding day.

"Are you ready, darling?" He asked as he took my arm.

"Ready," I answered. He led me upstairs to the second deck and into the ballroom. The ceiling was somewhat low, therefore too low for chandeliers, but it didn't matter. It was still decorated with paintings and gold floor molding. It seemed as if every passenger on the ship had come that night. Everyone was already dancing, so James led me deep into the crowd and began a waltz. Just for fun, I danced with Mr. Remmington and James danced with Mrs. Remmington. At the end of the night, James and I returned to our cabin, breathless.

"That was wonderful!" I exclaimed while taking deep breaths.

"I agree," said James. "Are you enjoying the voyage so far?"

"Of course, darling," I replied as I changed into my nightgown and crawled into bed. Once James had changed into his night clothes and gotten into bed by my side, I fell asleep.

- - - - - - -


	6. Another Attack

**As Delicate as a Rose**

By: Raven in Red

_Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. Soon after the two are married, James must go to sea in pursuit of the pirates that have been attacking Port Royal. NorringtonOC_

**Chapter Six:** Another Attack

Our week in London was probably one of the best of my life. We went shopping nearly every day. I came home with six new dresses for myself and one for each of my sisters, in their favorite colors. We also spent quite a bit of time at the beaches, relaxing. When we were alone, we spent a lot of passionate time together. We had our wedding night then, rather than during the voyage, and it was definitely true bliss.

We arrived back in Port Royal with smiles on our faces. We were ever so slightly tanned from all the time we had spent at the beach. I was glad to get back to our new house. As soon as I was unpacked, I took a long, refreshing nap. When I woke up, I ventured down to the sitting room, where James had had tea brought up.

"Good afternoon, darling," James greeted me with a kiss. "Did you have a nice rest?"

"I sure did," I answered as I sat down next to James and took a cup of tea from the tray. As I stirred cream and sugar into it and took a sip, I added, "I miss the ship, but it _is_ nice to be back in my own home."

"I agree," said James. "We'll have plenty of time together once we get settled back in." After a pause, he added, "I chose this house for us not only because of its size and beauty, but because there are so many things we can do here. We can have family members visit whenever you'd like, and there will be plenty for you to do when I'm away at work. I already had to take a lot of time off for the voyage, so I can't really sacrifice any more time."

I nodded in agreement. "Port Royal needs you, James. Your work must come first. Then you can have time with me."

"I'm glad you understand," James said, patting my hand.

- - - - - - -

When James got home from work the evening, he came straight to me with concern in his voice. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart, but there are pirates attacking Port Royal. I must go to the fort." At that instant, I nearly started crying. I rushed over to James and hugged him.

"Don't go!" I cried. "Please don't go!"

"Shh," James whispered. "I'll be fine. The fort is quite safe. I'll be fine."

Soon, I really did start crying. I didn't want to let go of James. "I don't want to lose you," I managed to whisper before I was attacked by another heavy sob. James pulled me more tightly to his chest and rubbed my back. "I don't want to have to go," he said sadly, "But I have to." I had stopped crying, but I still wasn't letting go of him. Then he said in a lighter tone, "Maybe you can come with me to the fort and stay in my office again, like you did the night we met. That way, you can be closer to me, but you'll still be safe."

"Alright," I dried my tears on my nightgown. He gave me one more hug and a kiss before I rushed to get dressed. He was still in his regular clothes from work. Once I was completely dressed, we ran outside to the stable, where we both mounted James' gray mare. In an instant, we were riding off to the fort. I held on tightly to my husband, afraid that I was going to fall off. While I had ridden horses before, I had never gone that fast. I finally breathed a sigh of relief when we reached the fort. Cannons were smashing into the heavy walls of Fort Charles, but none of them penetrated the thick stone.

James helped me dismount the horse. He had his hands on my waist as he said urgently, "Do you remember where my office is?" When I nodded, he pulled me to him and kissed me. His arms wrapped all the way around my waist and he deepened the kiss for nearly ten seconds before he finally let go. "Lorynn, get down to my office, now!" After I hurriedly kissed his cheek, I ran into the fort and towards the same staircase I had gone down before. When I got to his office, I gasped in terror. I saw James' sword lying on the desk. He hadn't had it with him when we left the house. I grabbed it and ran up the stairs as fast as I could.

Just as I had caught sight of James, I felt someone grabbing my arm. I turned around and came face to face with an ugly, smelly pirate. James immediately looked over. I tossed his sword over to him, but then the pirate tied my hands behind my back with a rough length of rope. "James!" I screamed. I saw the terror in his face as he ran towards me. Fortunately, I managed to kick the pirate between his legs. He dropped to the ground, crying in pain. I ran over to James. "Get this rope off my hands!" I shouted urgently as more pirates stormed into the fort. Hurriedly, James pulled out a dagger and sliced through the rope. "Now get back downstairs!" he shouted. I nodded, quickly kissed him, and ran back down to the office. Thinking fast, I decided to defend myself.

After quite a bit of rummaging, I found six pistols, two daggers, and a cutlass. I loaded each of the pistols and laid them side by side on the desk. I clipped the sword around my waist and tucked the daggers into my belt. I admit that I looked sort of silly, wearing all those weapons while in a dress, but I didn't care.

Some of the pirates must have seen me as I ran to the office, because I soon heard pounding footsteps on the stairs. I listened carefully. I heard two different voices as they got closer to the office. All of a sudden, they began pounding at the door. I kept completely still and held my breath. Carefully, without making a sound, I picked up two of the pistols. When the pirates burst through the door, they stopped to look at me.

"Well, look what we've got here," one of them sneered. He was tall, with slimy red hair and an unshaven face.

"Stay away," I ordered, aiming the first pistol at him.

"Oooh," he held up his hands, pretending to be scared. "I'm shaking!"

"Laugh while you can!" I was terrified beyond belief, but I managed to speak without stuttering.

The redheaded pirate turned to his companion, who was shorter and bald. "What shall we do to her? Rape her?"

"No, wait, we should beat her first, and _then_ rape her!" the other pirate grinned, baring a set of rotten teeth. I began to hyperventilate out of fear. They began to advance on me. Without a second to lose, I pulled out the pistols and fired. For a few seconds, I couldn't see from all the smoke that came out of the barrels, but I heard two loud thumps. Once the smoke had cleared, I saw the bodies of the two pirates, each with a bullet in the chest. Taking deep breaths, I slid down onto my knees, crying. I had just killed two men, and I felt terribly guilty, even if they had been trying to harm me.

After several long minutes of crying, I stood up and put all of the weapons away. The cannons had stopped firing, so I concluded that it was safe to leave the office. Slowly and carefully, I ventured up the stairs and back out to the fort, where night had fallen.

"Lorynn!"

"James!" I exclaimed as I rushed into my husband's arms. "Thank God you're alive!"

"I heard the commotion downstairs, but I couldn't get to you," James loosened his grip and looked down into my eyes. "Are you alright?"

"The pirates tried to rape me, but I shot them both," I said as I hugged James again. "I just wish it didn't have to come to that."

"What matters is that you're alive and in your husband's arms," James reassured me.

"Can we go home now?" I asked, yawning.

"Unfortunately, not yet. I still have to tend to the wounded soldiers. You can go home if you'd like," said James.

"No, I'd rather stay with you," I said before I kissed him.

"I'll have to leave Port Royal in pursuit of those pirates," James said sadly.

"I'm going with you," I said boldly.

James sighed, "Sweetheart, I don't want you getting hurt."

"We've been through this before, James Norrington," I declared. "Last time, you told me I could only go if my father said it was okay. Well, we're married now, so my father is out of the question."

James started to say something, but then he decided to settle for a kiss. "I really don't want to be away from you, Lory," he whispered as he kissed my neck.

"Then let me come with you," I whispered back.

"Alright, my dear, you can come," James kissed my lips again and then pulled me into a hug.

- - - - - - -


	7. At Sea Again

**As Delicate as a Rose**

By: Raven in Red

_Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. Soon after the two are married, James must go to sea in pursuit of the pirates that have been attacking Port Royal. NorringtonOC_

**Chapter Seven:** At Sea Again

I had trouble sleeping that night. I kept having nightmares about the pirates. In one of them, the pirates really did rape me. Fortunately, I was able to chase the horrid dream from my head as I slid closer to James. I laid my head against his chest and listened carefully to his breathing. It was slow and steady, and it comforted my nerves. Eventually, I was lulled back into a deep sleep.

I was woken up the following morning by the sound of James yawning. "Good morning, Lory," he said in a slightly sleepy voice. Laughing as he yawned again, I leaned over and kissed him. "Good morning, James." We then got out of bed and got dressed. I put on a simple brown laced dress, simply because I was too lazy to pick out anything fancy. Once the two of us had washed our faces and James had shaved, we went downstairs for breakfast. Two of the maids handed us each a large pitcher of juice and a plate of eggs, ham, and potatoes. As I ate, I stared blankly into space.

"James?" I said when I snapped back into reality.

"Yes, Lory?" he answered as he refilled his glass.

"When do we have to leave?" I asked as I continued eating.

"Today," he replied.

"Today?" I was a little surprised. "But we've just returned from England!"

James sighed. "I'm sorry, darling, but we've got to catch those pirates. They've attacked this town twice already, and I can't let it happen again."

"Alright," I said sadly. "I'll be ready." Suddenly, I became nauseous and leaned forward, clutching my belly.

"Lory!" James cried out, rushing to my side. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

"I'm fine, James, just fi-" Without warning, I slipped from my chair and fell to the ground.

- - - - - - -

I woke up about an hour later, lying on one of the couches in our sitting room, with a doctor leaning over me.

"Well, Mrs. Norrington, you gave your husband quite a scare there," the doctor said as he put a few things into his bag. "But you should be feeling better by the end of the day."

I bolted upright. "What's wrong with me? Where's James?"

The doctor gently pushed me back onto the pillow he had used to prop up my back. "Shh, relax, madam. Your husband is downstairs."

"But what's _wrong_ with me?" I repeated fearfully. I had about a million questions: Why had I fainted? Why wasn't James with me? Was he worried? I managed to calm myself down when the doctor replied,

"Nothing's wrong, madam." I sighed happily.

"Oh, thank goodness. I must've just had a dizzy spell." I leaned back and sighed with relief.

"However, you're with child," said the doctor.

"I am?" I asked with uncertainty.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Does James know?" I was getting nervous again.

"Oh, no, madam. You'll have to tell him yourself," the doctor smiled happily.

"Could you send him up here, please?" I asked.

"Of course, madam," with that, the doctor was gone. Within about ten seconds, James was kneeling next to the couch.

"Are you alright, darling? You had me worried sick," he took one of my hands and tenderly kissed it.

"I'm fine, sweetheart," I replied as I sat upright and faced him. "But I have the best news in the whole world!" When James looked on curiously, I grabbed both of his hands and exclaimed, "I'm having a baby!" James immediately pulled me into his arms and kissed me. "Yes, my love, you are to be a father!" When he finally let go of me, he was absolutely glowing with happiness.

"I can't believe it!" he exclaimed with tears in his eyes.

"Sweetheart, I've never seen you this emotional," I pointed out while laughing a bit. "Not even on our wedding night."

"I'm just happy to be the father of our first child," he said, calming down. He then pulled me into another hug. "Are you sure you don't want to stay home?" he asked with concern.

"I'm sure. I'm not going to let you leave home for God knows how long while I'm pregnant!" I exclaimed. "What if I need you?"

"There, there," he patted my hand. "I'll make sure you're perfectly safe, and I'll be with you as often as possible. Everything will be fine." I sighed with relief.

- - - - - - -

Later that afternoon, James and I boarded his ship, the _Interceptor_. It had been a gift to James when he was promoted to Commodore. It was small, but fast. Many people referred to it as the fastest ship in the Caribbean. As soon as we boarded, James brought me into the main cabin, which we would be sharing on the journey. As soon as the door was closed and locked, he pulled me to him and kissed me.

"If you need anything, _anything_, I'm here for you," James declared. I sighed and leaned my head on his shoulder.

"I'll try not to be a burden, sweetheart," I said with a hint of shame. I'd always heard that pregnant women required a lot of special care. I would have hated to put my new husband under such extreme pressure just to keep me happy.

"Don't worry, Lory," James reassured me, "Taking care of you is of my life's many joys." I didn't know what to say, so I simply smiled and gave him a small kiss.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"It's no trouble," he added as he squeezed my hands. Once I had let go, I sat down on the bed, which was quite a bit smaller than the one we had at home, but it would have to do. Yawning, I informed him, "I think I'm going to take a nice, long nap. I've been so tired lately, and I have no idea why."

"Sweetheart, it's probably from the fact that you're pregnant, and that you've just returned from a long trip. You need your rest." James leaned over and kissed my forehead as I took my shoes off and settled myself under the covers. "I'll be back to check on you in an hour or so."

Smiling, I pulled the covers to my chin and fell asleep.

- - - - - - -


	8. Pregnancy aboard the Interceptor

**As Delicate as a Rose**

By: Raven in Red

_Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. Soon after the two are married, James must go to sea in pursuit of the pirates that have been attacking Port Royal. NorringtonOC_

**Chapter Eight:** Pregnancy aboard the Interceptor

When I woke up a little while later, I saw James sitting at a small table set up in the center of the cabin. "Oh, you're awake," he said happily. "I was just about to check on you." I got up and sat across from him at the table. It was nearly covered with plates and dishes of food. "I wanted to stay near you in case you needed me, so I had our dinner brought up here."

"Thank you, sweetheart," I said. He was drinking wine. Seeing as how I was pregnant, I couldn't drink any alcohol, so he handed me a glass of lemon water. I took a long, refreshing sip before continuing, "You really love me, don't you?"

"Of course I do," replied James. "I want only the best for my darling wife and child."

"What did I do to deserve a husband like you?" I smiled lovingly at James.

"Just being yourself, sweetheart," he answered simply with a wink. I sighed happily, filled with love and admiration for James.

"I happen to like being myself," I realized.

"That's good," said James. "Otherwise I wouldn't love you nearly as much." The two of us laughed a little bit. As I finished my water and ate a little bit of roast chicken, I reached down and clutched my womb. "Is something wrong, love?" James asked.

"No, sweetie, I'm just a little worried," I answered, avoiding eye contact with him.

"About what, may I ask?" he put down his knife and fork and looked straight at me.

After a quick glance at his worried gaze, I continued, "I'm just worried about the baby. I'm young, newly married, and I've never carried a child before." With a sigh, I added, "I hope we're home before the baby arrives. If I have to give birth at sea, without a proper doctor, I don't know what I'd do."

"No worries, my dear. I personally hired a midwife to join us on the ship while we're away. Everything will be fine," James smiled as he continued eating.

"What would I do without you?" I said with a sigh.

"I don't know, sweetheart. I don't know what I would do without _you_, either."

I put down my fork and knife after a few more bites of chicken. "You know, I'm actually not too hungry."

With a sigh, James replied, "I'll let it slide this time, Lory, but you're going to have to keep your nutrition up in order for our baby to be healthy." I appreciated the authority in his voice. I was glad to have him around. If I had stayed at home, I would have only had the company of the servants, and occasionally my family. I would have been heartbroken if I had given birth alone, without my husband.

When James and I got into bed later that night, I fell asleep quickly, since I was so tired. When we woke up the following morning, James had the cooks bring our meal to the cabin like he had done the previous night. We sat down at the same table, which now held dishes of eggs and bacon, potatoes, toast, butter, and syrup. As I loaded my plate and filled a glass with juice, James asked, "Are you sure you're alright, Lory?"

"Of course, sweetie," I answered as I took a big bite of eggs. "I just needed some sleep, is all. I just need to get my strength back."

"Are you still worried?" James refilled my glass.

"Not in the _least_," I answered. "I'm just having mood swings. But, fair warning, if I ever snap at you or we get into a fight or _anything_ like that, just remember that I love you and that it's just a mood swing, okay, sweetie?"

"I'll keep that in mind, my darling," James smirked. "I'll try not to fight back too harshly. I wouldn't want to hurt my dear wife's feelings."

With a laugh, I replied, "I'll try not to hurt your feelings either."

When James and I had finished our breakfast, we linked arms and went out on deck. I had to blink a few times before my eyes adjusted to the direct sunlight. The waves created an ever so slight rocking motion, which comforted me.

"Good morning, Commodore!" a crew member greeted James.

"Good morning, Mr. Smith," said James.

"Good morning, Mrs. Norrington," said another crew member.

I didn't know his name, so I simply replied, "And you, sir." I then turned to James. "What are we going to do once we catch the pirates?"

After a bit of thinking, James replied, "If we can manage to get them to agree to it, I'll have a nice, long negotiation with their captain. I need to know _why_ they attacked the town. But, as far as I know, they didn't take any prisoners, and there wasn't much damage done. Maybe they were simply trying to scare us, although I would think that one time would be enough."

I felt a stab of fear for my husband. "Darling, promise me you'll have your sword at _all_ times!" I ordered. "I'm serious," I said firmly when James laughed a little.

"Alright, alright, I promise, Lory," James kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry for laughing."

"Alright, I forgive you," I took his hand and followed him as he walked up to the helm. As he chatted with the navigator, I felt a sudden pain in my belly. Hoping that it was normal, I laid a hand over my womb. It was way too early for the baby to be kicking, and I hadn't yet experienced morning sickness. I had heard that some women don't get morning sickness, and I hoped that I was one of them.

"Is something wrong, madam?" the navigator asked. James came to my side.

"No, but thank you for your concern," I replied politely.

"Are you sure you're alright, Lory? You look a bit pale," James caressed my cheek.

"I'm fine. I'm just having a bit of pain," I snapped.

"Okay…but do you need anything?" James asked carefully.

"No, I'm fine!" I pushed past him and rushed into our cabin. I immediately felt guilt-ridden, and decided to apologize. Just as I was about to leave the cabin, there was a knock on the door. "James? Is that you?" I called out.

"Yes, it's me. Can I come in?" he sounded nervous.

"Of course," I answered. He slowly opened the door. As soon as he was across the threshold, I rushed into his arms. "I'm so sorry, sweetie!" James rubbed my back in smooth, circular motions.

"I hold no blame against you, darling. As you said, you don't really mean it when you snap at me," he assured me.

"I hope I'm not like this for the _whole_ nine months," I said with worry.

- - - - - - -


	9. The Prisoner

**As Delicate as a Rose**

By: Raven in Red

_Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. Soon after the two are married, James must go to sea in pursuit of the pirates that have been attacking Port Royal. NorringtonOC_

**Chapter Nine**: The Prisoner

Once I had forgiven James, he turned around to leave the cabin. We heard commotion out on deck. However, as soon as he had opened the door, he exclaimed, "Oh dear _Lord_!"

"What? What is it?" I rushed to his side. He walked out on deck, with me following closely behind him. "Oh, no!" I gasped. Sailing right up next to the _Interceptor_ was the same ship that had been attacking Port Royal. I fearfully clung to James' arm. "Is there going to be a fight?"

"Probably," replied James, "Although this certainly has saved us a lot of time tracking those pirates down. They don't look like they're willing to negotiate, though."

"Well, of course they don't!" I said as I gestured to the many sword-baring pirates. "They look like they want to kill us all!"

James gave me a comforting pat on my shoulder. "Just stay in our cabin, and they won't hurt you."

"James, you're babying me," I folded my arms and glared at him. "And I don't like it."

"I'm sorry, Lory," he said in apology. "I just don't want you to be in the middle of a battle."

"Oh, alright," I decided to be a good girl and cooperate with my husband. "But you had _better_ come back to me alive." I poked a finger into his chest.

"I will, I will," James reassured me with a kiss. With a smirk, I went back into our cabin. "Oh, not _again_!" I groaned when I saw that James had, once again, forgotten his sword.

"James!" I yelled as I went out on deck. The pirates were cheering as the ships aligned. Below deck, the crew was loading the many cannons. I stormed right up to my husband and shoved the sword into his hands. "Don't forget it again! Remember what happened last time?" James winced at the not so fond memory.

"Lory, get back to the cabin!" James ordered urgently as he clipped the sword around his waist. With a nod, I obeyed, locking the door behind me. I tried not to fear for James as I heard the cannons go off. I was glad that I wasn't any closer to them, or else my hearing would have been ruined. To pass the time, I paced the cabin and listened to the many sounds of the battle. Among the booming of the cannons were shouts, screams, swears, and the sound of clanging swords. I prayed that James was as good with a sword as he had told me many months ago. I was able to keep calm while I kept telling myself that James would survive. I had faith in him, and I wasn't going to let that faith die.

Eventually, I heard James' voice. "You'll be spending some time in the brig, Mr. Sparrow." I was overwhelmed with curiosity, but I didn't want to disobey James and leave the cabin, so I just waited with my curiosity until he returned.

At first, I was overjoyed to see him come through the cabin doors. However, I cried out in fear when I saw the bloodstains on his shirt. "James, what has _happened_ to you?"

"I just got a few scratches, Lory. It's no big deal," replied James as he threw his jacket over the back of his chair. When he sat down, I took charge.

"Just a few _scratches_, you say," I scolded. "You're bleeding all over that shirt! Take it off and let me get you cleaned up." He obeyed me without question, possibly nervous that I was having another mood swing. I filled a bowl with water from the pitcher near the washbasin and grabbed a small towel from the cabinet nearby. Once I had soaked the towel with water, I looked over James' wounds. He had a few bleeding scratches on his lower arms, along with a slash over his right kidney. Sighing, I clamped the towel over each of his wounds in turn.

"Thank you, Lory," he caressed my face.

"You're my husband. It's the least I can do," I replied modestly. Once I was done, I threw the bloody towel away and led James over to the bed. "I love you, James. I'm sorry I seemed angry at you. I just don't want you to be hurt, and I guess I get overprotective."

"Don't worry about it," he smiled up at me as I got him a fresh shirt. "I would have done the same for you."

- - - - - - -

Later that night, James didn't go to bed with me. He had some business to take care of with the crew, so they were all meeting down in the galley. From what I had heard, they wouldn't be done for at least an hour. Seizing the opportunity, I decided to satisfy my curiosity and sneak down to the brig to find out about James' new prisoner. By Mr. Sparrow, he was probably referring to Captain Jack Sparrow, one of the so-called 'best' pirates in the Caribbean. If he was behind bars, I could talk to him without getting hurt, and maybe find out why James had captured him.

"Mr. Sparrow?" I called out quietly as I got down to the brig.

"Well, hello there," he replied eagerly as I approached his cell. He was handsome, I had to give him that, underneath the dirt, dreadlocks, and tattered clothes.

"Don't try anything, _Captain_," I held up my left hand. "I'm married."

His eyes fell onto my engagement ring and then my gold wedding ring. "Ah, that's a shame."

"Says who?" I took a seat on a bench across from his cell.

"Says _me_," he winked. As I rolled my eyes, he declared, "You must be Lorynn Benedict, wife of the one and _only_ Commodore James Norrington."

"How do you know?" I narrowed my eyes in disbelief.

"I have my ways, love," he winked again. "Now what brings a lovely lady like yourself down to the brig at this hour of the night? Won't your darling husband be mad?"

"He doesn't know," I stated plainly. "And I plan to keep it that way." I folded my arms.

"Ooh, the lass is going behind her husband's back," said Sparrow with a smirk.

"Oh, please!" I fired back with a glare. "I just came to ask some questions."

"Then ask away," he leaned forward against the bars. "I'm listening."

I got to my questions straight away. "What is the name of the ship that attacked Port Royal _twice_, and now the _Interceptor_?"

"The name of that vessel is the _Dragon Wing_. She's fierce, and she carries a great deal of cannon," replied Sparrow.

"Yet we still managed to overpower her," I mocked. "Next question: why are you here?"

"Well, I was originally a prisoner of the _Dragon Wing_. I had been there for nearly a month. When the ship was attacked, one of the cannonballs blasted through the wall of the brig and destroyed the lock on my cell. I seized the opportunity to escape. However, I wasn't quick enough, and your dear Commodore took me prisoner. I've known him for a long time, love, and he and I are not what you would call friendly to each other," said Sparrow.

"Well, I don't blame him," I retaliated. "He is not what you would call friendly to _any_ pirate, especially one that he already has issues with."

"Any more questions, darling?" Sparrow asked with a smirk.

"Yes, there are a couple," I ignored the fact that he was calling me 'love' and 'darling'. Normally I would have been mad, since James was the only one allowed to call me those, but I decided to keep my head cool. I continued with my questioning by asking, "What happened between you and my husband?"

"It's kind of a long story, love. It boils down to this: Two years ago, I stole his ship, which was the _Fearless Flyer_ at the time, and used it to ransack the ship of my enemy, Lord Cutler Beckett," Sparrow said semi-proudly. I recognized the name Beckett. He was a Lord who worked for King George in England.

"One more question," I concluded, "If you were kidnapped by the pirates of the _Dragon Wing_, then where is _your_ ship and crew?"

Sparrow lowered his head in shame. "At the moment, I am not in possession of either."

"I'm quite sorry to hear that, Captain Sparrow," I was genuinely sorry for him. For a pirate, having no ship was like any normal man having no home. "Wait," I had realized something. "Why are you simply telling me all of this? I'm a complete stranger to you."

"Sometimes you just have to let it out, love," he answered with a sad smile. I sighed and knelt down so that I was at eye level with him. Luckily, the floor was dry, so I didn't have to worry about ruining my dress.

"I understand, Captain Sparrow," I took hold of the bars. Then I felt a stab of pain in my belly. I reached down and clapped my hand over it while I tried not to make it too obvious.

"You're pregnant," he declared.

"What? Do you just 'have your ways'?" I laughed a little.

"No, I can tell by the way you're holding your belly," he said in slight awe. "I knew a woman once who died during her pregnancy."

"That's _awful_," I said with empathy. Then I heard footsteps. "Uh-oh, I'd better get back upstairs before James, I mean the Commodore, finds out that I'm gone." I stood up carefully, ignoring the pain in my womb. "Good night, Captain Sparrow. I'll come by tomorrow night if possible." I then left the brig and joined my husband in bed, as if I had never left the cabin.

- - - - - - -

The next morning, I managed to get a little bit of free time to visit Captain Sparrow. James had another meeting with the crew. Jack was simply overjoyed when he saw that I had brought a bottle of rum with me.

"How did you know?" he asked in surprise.

"Lucky guess," I answered with a small smile. I knelt in front of the cell again and handed the bottle to Jack. I didn't take any for myself, simply because I didn't want to harm my unborn child. Jack took a long, grateful swig before gazing, almost lovingly, into my eyes.

"You're an angel," he declared. I gave a nervous laugh as he reached out and touched my face.

"Um…thank you, I guess," I backed up slightly.

"You really are an angel," he said after he had taken another swig. "I haven't had even a _taste_ of rum in _weeks_." I laughed and sighed as he finished the entire bottle. "How can I possibly thank you?" he took my hand and kissed it.

"Um," I lost my train of thought. Jack was making me nervous. "Don't worry about it." Then I stood up. "I should probably get going now." I hurried quickly out of the brig and back into James' and my cabin. Luckily, James wasn't there, so I didn't have to cover for myself.

When James came back into the cabin, I tried to sound a little suspicious. "Why have you been having these meetings with the crew, sweetheart?" I asked as I took James' coat. "Is something wrong?"

James sighed and gave me a gentle hug. "We're just unsure about what we're going to do about the pirates. We still have to catch them and find out why they've attacked Port Royal. We're just running low on energy for the time being, after that unsuccessful battle."

"That doesn't make any sense. We won that battle. How could it have been unsuccessful?" I asked, puzzled.

"It was unsuccessful because we didn't get any information from them," James sighed again and looked out the window. "Maybe we'll get some answers tomorrow." He then went back out on deck.

"Maybe _I'll_ be able to get some answers from Jack," I said to myself.

- - - - - - -


	10. Secrets, Legends, and Negotiations

**As Delicate as a Rose**

By: Raven in Red

_Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. Soon after the two are married, James must go to sea in pursuit of the pirates that have been attacking Port Royal. NorringtonOC_

**Author's Note:** In this chapter, Lorynn is reading a book. I have no idea what the actual text would look like in those days, but I tried my best. Also, some of the chapters aren't as long as they were towards the beginning of the story.

**Chapter Ten:** Secrets, Legends, and Negotiations

Later that same day, I was digging through the trunk of clothes I had brought. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, just something to keep me occupied while James was working. I stopped digging when I uncovered a book titled _The Great Pirates of the Caribbean Sea_. Curious, I pulled it out of the trunk and sat down at James' desk chair. The book was quite thick, about 500 pages, and very old and worn out. The leather cover was worn out to the point where the title could barely be read. Oh, well. It might be able to tell me more about Jack.

After I had poured myself a tall glass of water, I flipped through to the table of contents. Among the many, many different pirates and pirate captains in the books was Jack Sparrow. After quite a bit of page turning, I arrived at a thick chapter on my new pirate friend. Smiling, I started reading. Because the chapter was so long, I didn't read it thoroughly. To save time, I simply skimmed through the pages. I stopped when I arrived at one particular paragraph.

_According to legend and several eyewitness accounts, Jack Sparrow is in the possession of a very unique compass. While he refuses to share the details with anyone, a few people have concluded that the compass does not point North. The needle points in the direction of whatever the bearer desires most. It can be an object, a person, or a place. Jack Sparrow is the only one known to have such a compass. Because of this, many adventurers, and even other pirates, have sought to steal it._

When I stopped reading, I was a bit surprised and confused. How could a compass simply work like that? There had to be some sort of magic involved, or something like that. Still puzzled, I put a bookmark between the pages and returned the book to my trunk. I probably wouldn't have time to talk to Jack until the next evening.

- - - - - - -

When James came into the cabin during his break from work, I said boldly, "I know how you could find the pirates."

"And how would that be?" James replied, sounding slightly bored and uninterested. I went to my trunk, pulled out the book, opened to the marked page, and held the book up for James to read. I pointed to the paragraph I had read. "Read here," I instructed. After about a minute of reading it, he sighed and sat down at his desk.

"Lorynn, sweetheart, that's simply a legend," James said, obviously trying to slap some sense into me.

"Then why does it clearly say 'eyewitness' accounts?" I pointed out. James had only a sigh in reply to that. I continued, "We should ask Mr. Sparrow about this. I heard you as you were leading him down to the brig, so I know that he is aboard this ship." When James sighed again, I pressed on, "Let's just _ask_ him, James. What do you have to lose?"

"I'd really rather not have any dealings with that pirate, Lory. If you want to know about the compass so badly, then I suggest that you ask him yourself. Even if the compass is real, I'd like to spend as little time in that pirate's presence as possible," James reached out and patted my hand. I breathed a small sigh of relief. At least now James didn't have to find out about my secret meetings with Jack, and now I didn't have to wait until the next morning to talk to him. Without another word, I kissed James' cheek and went straight down to the brig. When I got there, I knelt in front of Jack's cell with a big smile on my face.

"Why so happy, love?" Jack smirked. "Or are you simply happy to be in my presence?"

"Oh, please, Jack," I scoffed. "I just came to ask you something about your compass."

Jack tilted his head in curiosity. "What about my compass?" he asked, slightly suspicious.

"I've been doing some reading, and I discovered this," I pulled out the book and read aloud from the page I had marked. When I was finished, I closed the book and continued, "Is all of this true?" Jack leaned back and smirked at me.

"You're a smart girl," he said with a wink.

"But is this _true_?" I pressed on.

"It is all true," said Jack. "I swear on my life!" He confidently placed a hand over his heart.

"Well, thank you," I said, not expecting him to answer me so easily. "That's certainly helpful. May we borrow the compass?"

"Why do you need it?" Jack sounded even more suspicious.

"We need to track down the _Dragon Wing_," I answered confidently. "As I've said before, they've attacked Port Royal twice and the _Interceptor_ once and we need to capture them and hang them all. And we can send payback for capturing you."

"That sounds like a noble cause," Jack said, without meeting my eyes. "I will let you _borrow_ the compass on one condition." When I looked on curiously, he continued, "Your darling Commodore must agree to free me. If he does, I will even agree to fight alongside him when we catch the _Dragon Wing_. Then I must be returned to Tortuga."

I nodded slightly. "That sounds like a fair deal. I've heard a lot about your _impressive_ sword skills. I'd be proud to have you fight with us." Then I stood up, taking the book with me. "I'll go tell my husband. Thank you, Captain Sparrow." With that, I left the brig and went straight back up to the main cabin, where James was busy at his desk. "Well, that went well!" I said happily. As I put the book away, James turned towards me.

"What did Sparrow say?" he asked me, genuinely interested.

"He said that everything about the compass is completely. He swore on his life, and he didn't even try to exaggerate anything. But here's the tricky part," I took a pause, "He has agreed to let us borrow the compass on one condition: we free him, and he will fight alongside us when we catch the pirates. After that, we must return him to Tortuga. It would be quite useful to have a man of his skill during the battle," I finished proudly.

"Wow, Lory," James said in disbelief. "I'm surprised you've gotten all of that out of him. You're certainly a good negotiator."

"Thank you, sweetheart," I replied with a big smile. "But will you accept his deal?"

After a bit of thought, James, answered, "I suppose. We will free him _only_ after the compass has proven to work. It's a shame to just let him go like that, after I've been chasing after him for so long, but if it has to be done then it has be done." He stood up and kissed my cheek. "Good job, Lory. You'll definitely be a valuable lady to have aboard the ship. I may even bring you on more of my pirate-related chases." I simply gave my husband a hug.

"I'd be honored," I said modestly. "I'm glad I've been able to be of service."

- - - - - - -

When I got back down to the brig, I told Jack the news. "The Commodore has agreed to take up on your offer, Mr. Sparrow."

"Lovely," Jack replied. "Thank you for being such a good negotiator."

"Funny, that's exactly what the Commodore told me," I said with a slight laugh.

"Well, it's true," Jack smiled. "You _are_ a very good negotiator. If it had been any one of those blasted soldiers asking me, I never would have told them anything."

"The Commodore didn't even _want_ to question you," I pointed out. "So I guess I was the only alternative."

"Thanks, love," Jack said with a smile.

- - - - - - -


	11. The Dragon Wing

**As Delicate as a Rose**

By: Raven in Red

_Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. Soon after the two are married, James must go to sea in pursuit of the pirates that have been attacking Port Royal. NorringtonOC_

**Chapter Eleven:** The Dragon Wing

As soon as I was done talking to Jack, I ran back up to the main deck, where James was waiting at the helm. Jack had given me the compass, so we were going to put it to the test. "James?" I called out. He beckoned me over as he finished his conversation with the navigator. "I've got the compass!" I declared with pride.

"Excellent!" James said happily. "Let me try it." I quickly handed it over and watched with curiosity as he opened it. For a little while, the needle simply spun randomly. Eventually, it slowed down and pointed steadily in one direction. "Fantastic, Lory! You've really outdone yourself." I smiled as James pecked me on the cheek.

"Now," I concluded. "May I have the keys to the brig?"

Sighing, he reluctantly pulled a ring of keys from one of his pockets and handed it over to me. I grabbed it with one simple flick of my wrist and twirled it around on my index finger. "Thank you!" I said happily. Then I hurried back down to the brig. "Look what I've got!" I said in a song-songy voice as I approached Jack's cell. He smirked over at me.

"So, our little plan actually worked. Is the compass providing you with a heading?" Jack asked as I tried each key in the lock.

"Yes, it certainly is," I answered as the lock finally opened. "Any idea when we should reach the _Dragon Wing_?"

Jack answered as he stepped out of the cell, "I have no idea, love. It all depends on how far away it is." He looked a little surprised when I hugged him.

"Thank you, Jack," I said gratefully as he hugged me back.

"My pleasure, love," he answered. I hugged him simply for helping out my husband and me. I was truly grateful that he was there.

"Come on," I said, grabbing his arm and leading him out of the brig. As we approached the main deck, he stopped me.

"Commodore Norrington took my effects," he said with a pout.

"Your effects?" I asked in confusion.

"You know, my hat, sword, pistol, other things," he said. "Luckily he didn't take the compass."

"Good point," I said. "I'll ask him where he's put them." With that, I ran back out onto the main deck. I immediately went back up to the helm, where James was standing with the compass. He was working with the navigator in order to keep the ship going in the right direction. "James, where are Jack's 'effects', as he calls them?"

"They're in the black trunk in our cabin," James answered, without looking up.

Once I had gotten Jack's effects, I returned them to him. He seemed quite happy when he was 'complete' again. Finally, I brought him out on the main deck. He went immediately over to the railing and sighed happily. "It feels good to look upon the sea again," he said in a dreamy voice.

"I'm sure," I leaned against the railing as well, but I kept a safe distance from him. "After being in the brig for so long, I don't blame you."

"I was in the brig of the _Dragon Wing_ even longer," he said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry to hear that," I replied with empathy. "It must have been awful."

"It was," replied Jack.

"Well, you'll finally get your revenge on them, as soon as we find the _Dragon Wing_," I pointed out, trying to be optimistic.

"That I will do," Jack said with a small smile.

- - - - - - -

We didn't reach the _Dragon Wing_ for another week. One day, I was at the helm with James when I saw a ship off in the distance. I went straight to Jack.

"Jack, do you have a spyglass?" I said, approaching him when he stood near the railing.

"Yes, I do," he replied.

"Can you take a look at that ship out there?" I pointed Jack in the right direction.

"Certainly, love," he replied, taking out his spyglass. Once he had opened it up, he took a good, long look towards the ship. When he closed it, he looked straight into my eyes. "This is it," he said. "It's the _Dragon Wing_!"

With a nod, I turned towards the helm. "James!" I called out. When he didn't answer, I called his name again, only louder. Finally, he looked over. "Can you come down here, please?" I shouted. Once he was standing in front of me, I gently clasped both of his arms. "It's time. That's the _Dragon Wing_."

"Thank you, Lory," he said with a kiss to my forehead. Then he went back up to the helm. Once he had spoken to the navigator, he started shouting orders to the crew. The navigator turned the ship slightly towards starboard while the crew rushed below deck to load the cannons. Jack patted my shoulder.

"You need to get somewhere safe," he said with concern.

"I know, I know, James tells me that all the time," I said with a small laugh.

Jack smiled as I turned around to go into the main cabin. Then, I remembered something. "James!" I shouted as I turned around the face the helm. "Do you have your sword?" I asked with a smirk.

"Yes, I do, but could you come up here for a little while?" James replied. Once I had gone up to the helm, he pulled me into a gentle hug. "I want you to stay in our cabin until the battle is over."

"I know, I know!" I snapped, pulling away from him. "You've told me this before!" I could feel my face getting pink. "It's not as if I can actually fight with a sword or shoot a pistol. And I _know_ that I'm pregnant!" Finally, after a few deep breaths, I calmed down. "I'm sorry, James. I guess the snapping just comes with being pregnant. But you _have_ told me one too many times to get somewhere safe during a battle."

"You're right, sweetheart," James said with a hint of shame. "I just worry for both you and our unborn child, and I love you."

"I love you, too," I replied, smiling. After I kissed him on the cheek, I added, "And I'm staying out here until the battle starts, no exceptions."

He smiled a little bit. "You really don't take no for an answer, do you?" I didn't know what to do but smile.

- - - - - - -

I was allowed to stay out on deck a little while longer, until the wind picked up and the ships were aligned. "Good luck, James!" I gave my husband a quick kiss. Then I went and found Jack. "I hope you're as good with a sword as the legends say," I said with slight fear. Jack smirked.

"Have a little faith, love," he took my hand and kissed it. "Trust in your dear husband, and trust in me."

"Alright, I can do that," I said with a smirk as I headed into the cabin. I sat down on the bed and wrapped the covers around my legs. To calm my nerves, I rubbed my belly in small, soft motions. I had grown quite a bit during the voyage, and now the baby could definitely be seen underneath my dress. I'd had to let out the tight bodices in quite a few of my gowns to make room for my unborn child. Maybe, once we were back home, James and I could discuss names for our baby.

My little moment of daydreaming was gone when I heard James shout, "FIRE!" At that exact moment, about thirty cannons all fired at once, which created the loudest sound I had ever heard. Luckily, I had time to cover my ears. Once the cannons started firing at a more scattered rate, I uncovered my ears. I could hear the same sounds of battle as before: screams, shouts, sword clangs, and cannon booms. James and Jack had both survived the last battle, so I had little doubt this time, which calmed my nerves a little. It seemed that when I was holding my belly, I wasn't as scared. Even if James really did get killed in battle, I would still have his child to remind me of him.

As I had done once before in Port Royal, I found a couple pistols and a sword, in case I had to defend myself. I prayed that I wouldn't be as nervous as I had been the previous time. The cannons weren't firing as often now, so I could hear more of what was going on. I could finally hear James' voice. It relieved me, knowing that he was still alive. It didn't sound like he was getting injured, since I didn't hear any cries of pain. The same went for Jack. Maybe they really _were_ as good as they had said. I decided to go to the door to listen.

Everything was going well until, all of a sudden, a sword stabbed through the door with no warning and pierced into my left arm. Luckily, it didn't go deep, so there wasn't much blood, but it still caused me to cry in pain. Still puzzled about how it happened, I picked up the sword and one of the pistols I had found and bravely faced the door. Within a moment, it burst open, and a pirate came in. We spent a good several seconds staring each other down.

"LORYNN!" I heard James shout. With no time to lose, I fired the pistol into the pirate's chest, just as two swords were simultaneously stabbed into his back. As he dropped to the floor, I saw both James and Jack. James had several cuts and scrapes, but Jack was untouched. Dropping my weapons, I ran over and hugged both of them.

"I had in all under control. Neither of you had to come and rescue me," I said, shaking my head and smiling. They both looked at each other and laughed a little.

"I'm not just going to stand around and watch as a pretty young lady possibly gets killed!" Jack said with a smirk.

"You're my wife, Lory. The second I think you're in danger, I have to respond," said James.

"Well, thank you both for your thought, concern, and quick response." When the two of them, somewhat reluctantly, shook hands, I pushed them gently out of the cabin. "Now, get back to the battle. And take this…filth with you." They both took hold of the dead pirate and dragged him out of the cabin. Once they had left, I shut the door and placed a bar through the handles. Then, I changed into a shorter-sleeved dress and washed and bandaged the stab wound on my arm. Soon after that was taken care of, I heard familiar voices cheering outside. Slightly confused, I opened the door and stepped out on deck.

The _Interceptor_ had won the battle. The remaining pirates were held at gun or swordpoint with their hands in the air. The soldiers of the _Interceptor_ were the ones that were cheering. As soon as I found James and Jack, my heart was at ease.

"I told you Jack's compass would work," I said as I kissed my husband's cheek.

James smiled in return. "It wasn't you I doubted. It was Sparrow. He has never been known to tell the truth."

"Well, he told the truth this time," I pointed out. Then I went and found Jack. "Thank you, Captain Sparrow," I said gratefully as I pulled him into a tight hug.

"My pleasure, love," Jack said as he hugged me back equally as tightly.

As I let go of Jack, I was absolutely sure of one thing: the _Interceptor _had prevailed.

- - - - - - -


	12. Home Again

**Author's Note**: I finally realized that every one of those little divider dashes I use is counted as a separate word. I was also wondering why the word count in MS Word and the word count on FF don't match up, and I found out that it's because I put the title and summary in every chapter on FF, but I only put the chapter text in MS Word. Just a couple little tidbits. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter Twelve:** Home Again

Once the remaining pirates of the _Dragon Wing_ had been rounded up and sent to the brig, I went to James. "We should give the _Dragon Wing_ to Jack," I said boldly.

"Wait…what?" James sounded surprised.

"When we get to Tortuga, we should give the _Dragon Wing_ to Jack," I repeated myself. James sighed, but I continued anyway, "We're already setting him free. Why not give him a ship? He doesn't have one at the moment, and he's already helped us so much. He didn't _have_ to fight with us. That was never part of the original deal, but he fought with us anyway. I think we owe it to him." James still didn't respond, so I concluded, "He's a better man than you may think."

Finally, James said something, "I suppose I could make one last exception for him. You're right. He usually doesn't just help people like that."

"So…?" I pressed on.

With a sigh, James added, "The _Dragon Wing_ will be his."

- - - - - - -

We were scheduled to reach Tortuga that night. I was a little sad about saying goodbye to Jack, since he had proven to be a valuable man and a good friend. Early in the evening, I found him leaning on the railing, as usual. "Would you like some company?" I asked quietly.

"Of course," replied Jack. I stood next to him and sighed dreamily at the sunset. "I've always loved ocean sunsets," he said, following my gaze. "They always seem more colorful, and more unique."

"I agree, although I haven't seen many," I said as I leaned against the railing. After a long pause, I said sadly, "This will probably be the last time I see you."

"Why does that make you sad?" he asked with curiosity.

I sighed and replied, "You've given us a great deal of help. If it weren't for your compass, we would have never found the _Dragon Wing_ or we would have taken a lot longer to do so. We might have even taken so long that my baby would have been born at sea, which I want to avoid as much as possible."

"You might still see me again one day," Jack said with optimism.

"Well, once my baby is born, I'll have to stay home and take care of him or her," I contradicted him.

"Or them, if you have twins," Jack pointed out with a smirk.

"It's too early to tell. Regardless, the point is that I'll be too busy to go out to sea again until my children are grown up and old enough to go with me," I looked down towards the waves and sighed again.

"You have a point there," Jack admitted.

"Exactly," I added, "That's why I said 'the point is'." Jack laughed a little.

"You sure are a very interesting woman," he said while shaking his head and smiling.

"I've heard that many, _many_ times in the past, and from several different people," I replied. "But thank you." Jack and I talked a little while longer, until the sun completely set and we had arrived in Tortuga. As we pulled up to the dock, the crew got busy assembling the gangplank.

"Well, I've gotta go," said Jack. Soon, the gangplank was ready. I gave him one last hug before he took off. As soon as he had reached the dock, I turned and retired to the main cabin.

"Are you ready for bed, Lory?" James asked, looking up from the maps on his desk. "You've had a long day."

"I couldn't agree more," I replied as I changed into a nightgown. Before I got into bed, I went over to James and kissed him on the forehead. "Thank you, James, for everything…for my child, my new life, _everything_."

"I love you, Lory," he said, taking my hands. "I want only the best for you." I leaned down and gave him a long, deep kiss.

"Now let's get to bed," I said with a smile.

- - - - - - -

After a few more days, we arrived back in Port Royal. I was so eager to get home, so James took me straight there and left the work of unloading the ship to the rest of the crew. Once we got through the front doors, I immediately stretched out my arms and twirled around a few times. "It feels so good to be home!" I said, excited, when I twirled right into James' arms.

"I feel exactly the same way," James said as he hugged me. "_And_ it feels good to finally be able to devote time to my precious wife again."

"Then I suggest we have tea in the sitting room and get settled back in," I said happily.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," said James as he led me upstairs. "But, first, we should get changed."

"Good idea," I said, looking at the dirt stains on the skirts of my gown. Once we had reached our bedroom, I went immediately to the clothes press and picked out a simple brown silk dress. I got changed more quickly than James, so I helped him button his shirt. As I did so, I pointed out, "We didn't have a great deal of quality time together during the journey."

"Then maybe we can fix that tonight," James said lovingly.

"That's a _wonderful_ idea, although I already knew you would say that," I said as I buttoned the last button. Then I took his arm. "Shall we have our tea now, Commodore?"

"We shall," James replied in a dignified manner. As the two of us laughed, we ventured down the hall to our sitting room, where a maid had brought tea up. I gratefully sat down on one of the couches, glad to finally be off my feet. I even kicked off my high-heeled shoes and stretched my sore legs.

"That really was quite the eventful journey, wasn't it?" James said as he fixed a cup of tea for me and then one for himself. He took a seat next to me and took a sip.

"It sure was," I answered with a yawn. "But it ended in our favor, even if it wasn't in the manner we originally planned."

"Sweetheart, it's only three o clock, and you're tired already," James pointed out with a laugh.

"I can't help it, James!" I laughed as well. "I'm pregnant, not to mention the fact that I've just come back from 'quite the eventful journey', to quote my dear husband." After another yawn, I went off to take a nap. I didn't wake up until it was nearly time for dinner. Looking for something to do, I went off to help the cooks in the kitchen. We brought dishes of pasta, vegetables, roast beef, and cream sauce to the dinner table. Once I had lit the candles, I sat down next to James. Our dining table was big, but only because we would eventually have guests. Otherwise, it was much too big for only two people.

Once he was seated, James poured a glass of wine for himself and a glass of punch for me. "I propose a toast," he declared, "To a safe pregnancy for my dear wife and a safe delivery for my first child." I happily clinked glasses with him and took a sip.

- - - - - - -

**The End**

…Well, not really. Lorynn still has to have her baby!


	13. First Child

**As Delicate as a Rose**

By: Raven in Red

_Lorynn Benedict enters courtship with Commodore Norrington. Soon after the two are married, James must go to sea in pursuit of the pirates that have been attacking Port Royal. NorringtonOC_

**Chapter Thirteen:** First Child

After eight and a half long months of dizzy spells, fatigue, and mood swings, the glorious day finally came: the day James' and my first child would be born. James and I were sitting at the table, eating breakfast as we normally did, when I started having weird sensations in my stomach. When I placed a hand over my womb, I noticed that the baby had been kicking more and more than it had been since it first kicked. At first, I thought it was nothing, and I went back to eating. But then I started having contractions.

"James…" I said in a warning tone.

"What is it, sweetheart?" James got up from his chair and stood at my side.

"It's…time," I gasped out as my water broke. "Now!"

James wasted no time in calling the maid and instructing her to get the carriage ready. "Lory, my love, don't worry about a thing. You'll be fine. I'm here. I'll get you to the doctor, and you'll give birth to a lovely, healthy baby." He then gave me a gentle, caring hug. Normally, I would have hugged him back, but I was in too much discomfort from the contractions.

"I love you, James," I said as tears dripped down my face.

"I love you, too," James replied with a kiss. Then the maid came back in.

"The carriage is ready. Good luck, Mrs. Norrington."

"Finally!" James said as he lifted me out of the chair and out the front door. As he put me into the carriage, he shouted to the driver, "Get us to the doctor as fast as you can!" The driver nodded and slapped the horses' backs. James sat beside me and laid my head over his lap. "We're on our way, sweetheart. Just hold on."

I gave a shaky nod. The contractions weren't as painful anymore, but they felt as if they were getting bigger. "Oh, please hurry!" I shouted to no one in particular.

"We'll be there soon, love," said James.

After what seemed like forever, the carriage slowed to a stop and we arrived at the doctor's office. The driver opened the carriage as James pulled me into his arms and carried me into the small building. Luckily, it was empty, so we wouldn't have to wait. The doctor took one glance and knew right away what was going on. He led us straight into the delivery room, where James set me down on a long table. The doctor then addressed him. "Sir, I'm afraid I have to ask you to wait outside."

James' face crumpled and he was about to protest, but I grabbed his hand. "No, James," I said. "No tears. I'll be fine. Go." James then leaned down and gave me a kiss. It took awhile, but he eventually left the room. Immediately after he left, a midwife and a nurse came in. They got me out of my dress and spread a sheet over my upper body. Then the midwife looked down to observe my contractions.

We waited in silence for several long minutes. Finally, the midwife came to my side. As she clasped my hand, she instructed, "On the count of three, I need you to push. Can you do that?"

I nodded, glad that the midwife was kind to me.

"One…"

I braced my legs on the table.

"Two…"

I clasped the midwife's hand and clamped my eyes shut.

"Three!"

I bit my lip and pushed as hard as I could. It was probably the hardest thing I had ever done. The midwife had me pushing at a very strict rate. With her guidance, I gave one final push before collapsing on my back.

"It's a girl!" the midwife shouted excitedly. Then I heard the cry of my first child, the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. I lay on my back in awe as the nurse washed off the baby and wrapped her in a blanket. The doctor turned a hinge on the table so I could sit upright and have my back supported. The midwife then handed my daughter to me.

I was speechless. My little daughter was so beautiful. Once she had stopped crying, she opened her tiny little eyes and stared into those of her mother. I gently stroked her healthy pink face with a single finger. Then she grabbed it with one of her tiny little hands. I nearly cried due to my happiness and excitement. "Oh, can my husband see her now?" I asked the midwife.

"Once we get you into some proper clothes," replied the midwife with a smile. She pulled a baggy white dress from a bin in the corner of the room and helped me get into it. Once I was clothed, she called James into the room.

"Come and see your beautiful daughter," I said quietly as James entered the room.

James kissed me first, and then his daughter. Then he picked her up gently and held her to his chest. She reached up and gently touched his face while staring into his eyes. "Isn't she beautiful?" I asked in admiration.

"She's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen," James reached down and caressed my face. "I'm so proud of you, Lorynn."

I closed my eyes and breathed a happy sigh as I took my daughter into my arms again. "Thank you for taking care of me while I carried my beautiful daughter."

"It was my pleasure," replied James. "Have you thought of a name?"

"I was thinking…Jane Lynn Norrington. Her first and middle names are a combination of pieces of our first names. I thought it would be appropriate, since her parents are so connected." I hugged Jane very gently.

"I think you've made a wonderful choice, my dear," James kissed my forehead.

"She'll grow up to be a lovely young woman," I said proudly.

"Definitely," James assured me. I leaned into my husband's arms for a warm, loving hug. Jane soon fell asleep, in the arms of her loving parents.

- - - - - - -

**The End **(for real this time)

Final Author's Notes

- It may seem life I'm rushing, since I wrote the complete story in only a few days, but this was written during a long school vacation, and I had a LOT of time on my hands. I really thought everything through first before I wrote anything.

- I put Lorynn through a Mary-Sue test before I even started writing, and again after I finished (as I do with any OC of mine)

- This is the first and only story I'll be writing about Lorynn. After this, I'll be finishing Eyes to See the World Version 2, so keep your eyes open for that.

- I might be adding an epilogue later on down the road, so also keep your eyes open for that.


End file.
